SEPIA. 



85 



thin laminae or floors of chalk, each connected 

 with each by myriads of the tiniest imaginable 

 chalky pillars. When the cuttle is living, this 

 structure runs through the entire length of the 

 abdomen, being of equal length with it, and 

 occupying about one-third of its breadth. In 

 the Calamary the analogue of this object is of a 

 horny consistence, semi-transparent, something 

 resembling in shape the head of a spear, or the 

 feather of a large pen, from which latter resem- 

 blance it is sometimes called the Sea-pen. 



The well-known colour, sepia, is or ought to be 

 manufactured from a black liquid, which is pos- 

 sessed by most of these creatures, and which 

 can be ejected at will, probably with the view 

 of darkening the water, and so temporarily 

 baffling their enemies, of whom they have many, 

 even including their own species. And it can 

 also be employed while the animal is out of 

 the water, as was once rather amusingly ex- 

 emplified. 



There was an officer employed, as I hope my 

 readers have been and often will be occupied, in 

 searching the coast for objects of marine natural 

 history. After a while he came unexpectedly 

 on a cuttle, who had taken up his abode in e 

 convenient recess. The cuttle has a pair of verj- 



